This invention relates to an infusion apparatus for quantitatively dosing patients with a medicinal solution such as Ringer's solution, glucose solution, an antibiotic or the like, and is particularly concerned with an infusion apparatus wherein a plurality of burettes adapted to contain at least one medicinal solution are coupled to communicate with each other in series through a communicating passage, and directional control valve means capable of selectively opening and closing the communicating passage is provided within the communicating passage.
A graduated burette is well known as an infusion burette. The conventional burette is generally a cylinder with a capacity of 100 ml or 200 ml, normally graduated in 1 ml increments. Dosage control is extremely important in infusion, and, depending on the circumstances, the capacity of the burette in service may need to be changed. If the burette in service has to be changed to a burette having another capacity, it can be quite painful for the patient and also troublesome to the person making the change. Further, the conventional burette does not fulfill the requirement for high precision infusion. Particularly in dosing antibiotics, an infusion of high precision is required. Thus, there is a real need for a burette capable of meeting these requirements--which need has gone unanswered prior to the advent of the present invention.